I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 847: Committment

When they heard Eccar's words, a sharp gasp escaped several of them. Even the most composed among the group — Jan and Mark — couldn't hide the pale shade spreading across their faces. For a brief moment, all the tension they had pushed down surged back to the surface.

"What do you mean?" Mark asked, his voice tight and serious.

Eccar didn't answer immediately. He kept staring at the rift, his expression tense and his brows furrowed slightly. But then he sighed. He realized the look on his face was already having an effect on them. If he kept that grim demeanor their morale would crack.

He turned toward the group, his expression softening into something calmer and measured.

"I'll be honest with you all," he said as he raised a hand and pointed toward the rift. "There's an army of those creatures inside. They're lined up, ready to come out at any moment."

A few quiet curses slipped out from the adventurers. Not too loud but full of weight. It was a natural reaction. They'd seen firsthand how strange and unnerving those creatures were with their movements, shrieks, and resilience. They had managed to kill four with coordination and power, but an entire army?

That was a different fight altogether.

And they hadn't forgotten Eccar's expression moments ago — the way he'd stared into the rift with concern. He had glimpsed something they couldn't. That alone meant he had strength far beyond them. Maybe even on the level of an Archmage. If he looked worried then what chance did they really have?

So of course their faces were tight full of worry and their shoulders tense with dread.

"So... what should we do?" Jan asked after a heavy silence. "If it's up to me, I'd say we need to go back to the kingdom and warn the king to act."

"No. It'll be too late by then," Eccar replied immediately.

He fell silent, his gaze dropping slightly as he drifted into thought. No one spoke. The flickering of the rift cast a pulsing light onto their face. They all waited tensely while half-expecting something to leap out of it at any second.

Ten long seconds passed then Eccar raised his head again.

"I think I know what to do," he said.

"What is it?" Jan asked, and the others leaned in and waiting.

"We need to search the forest. Find the rifts that have opened and close as many of them as possible while heading to the old temple. I have a feeling that temple is important. There might be something there we need to see there."

Eccar looked at their faces and can see that doubt was plain. They looked uncertain and hesitant. He couldn't blame them. The danger was real and it was coming. Any hesitation in the face of that wasn't weakness, it was human.

So he smiled.

"If any of you don't want to continue, you can head back home. It's not a problem."

There was a pause as the group looked at one another. No one spoke at first. Eccar could almost hear them thinking, weighing the risk, the fear, and their sense of duty.

"I... don't want to go back," Annette said softly. Then she looked at Eccar, her eyes firm. "I want to finish this. I can't let you face it alone."

"If you want to continue then I want to continue as well," Jan said. "We entered this forest together so we'll leave it together as well. If you think keep going is the best idea then we should keep going."

"Well," Mark said with a sigh, a small grin forming at the corner of his mouth, "we all know this is going to be dangerous and a massive pain. But I and my team are professionals. We don't abandon the people we're escorting in the middle of the forest."

Thorne, Kaela, and Selene all nodded behind him with resolute gaze.

They were in this together now and none of them were turning back. That makes Eccar's heart fluttering with warmth.

"Alright. Lets continue. But I will close this one first."

Eccar stepped forward closer toward the rift. His gaze fixed on the flickering rift. He raised one hand with palm open toward the swirling energy. A quiet hum began to fill the air as he drew in a breath and started channeling his Magic energy.

His hand glowed faintly at first. Threads of Magic energy weaving between his fingers. Then, as his focus sharpened the glow intensified.

The void at the center of the rift began to quiver. It pulsed as if resisting, as if something behind it was aware of what Eccar was doing and didn't want to be sealed away.

But Eccar didn't waver. His expression was calm and his stance steady. The energy pouring from his palm extended into the rift like a stream of light weaving into the Magical fabric of the portal itself.

The adventurers stood frozen with eyes opening widee. None of them spoke. They had fought beside him earlier but watching Eccar now — silently sealing a rift from another dimension with one hand — left them stunned.

They had assumed he was strong. Maybe even elite. But this? This was something else.

Their awe grew with every second that passed. The rift trembled, the mist recoiled, and the light from Eccar's hand flared brighter and brighter until at last the rift gave a final shudder and then collapsed inward like a dying flame.

Eccar lowered his hand and exhaled slowly.

"It's done," he said, turning to the group. "We need to move again. Since you've all committed, we'll fasten our pace. Come on."

His words cut through the stunned silence and stirred them into motion. No one complained or hesitated now. They adjusted their packs and weapons and started moving again but this time faster. Their steps driven not just by urgency but by a renewed sense of purpose.

Whatever happened ahead they would face it together and they would follow the man who could close rifts with a single hand.

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